Back cartridge coupling structure

ABSTRACT

A back cartridge coupling structure is used in a handheld data processor comprising a body and a back cartridge. A connecter slot disposed at the coupling face of the body corresponds to the connecter disposed on the coupling face of the back cartridge. The coupling structure comprises a seizing element disposed on the coupling face of the body, and an outer lining, corresponding to the seizing element and disposed at one end of the back cartridge, can be moved in parallel relative to the coupling face of the back cartridge. Pressing the two coupling faces toward each other face to face inserts the connecter into the connecter slot and sliding the outer lining relative to the coupling face of the back cartridge couples the body and the back cartridge together with the back cartridge sticking by the seizing element. Thereby, the both faces will not be scratched.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a back cartridge structure, which isused in the handheld data processor, and more particularly to a backcartridge coupling structure that allows the body of the handheld dataprocessor to cause no scratch when both two are jointed with each othertogether.

2. Related Art

At present, the back cartridge is used to provide the handheld dataprocessor a sufficient electric power, it can be furnished a backupbattery or other devices that can expand the function of the handhelddata processor (such as CF, SD card receptacle module or wirelesscommunication module). But, the coupling between the current backcartridge and the body of handheld data processor, such as Visor seriesproducts produced by Handspring, is processed by means of theupward-faced connecter slot disposed in the body and the 90° projected,downward-faced connecter disposed on the back cartridge. The backcartridge must be slid face-to-face relative to the body in order to letthe connecter slot and connecter be jointed when both are coupled.Therefore, the face of both will be scratched over a long period oftime. Also, a larger gap must be maintained between both so that theycan be slid smoothly. And in a consequence, the back cartridge shakeseasily after the coupling.

Therefore, it is important for us to invent a back cartridge couplingstructure in order to let the faces of the body of the handheld dataprocessor and back cartridge not to scratch each other when both arecoupled together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a back cartridge couplingstructure, enabling the faces of a back cartridge and body not toscratch each other through the coupling in a vertical direction.

Accordingly, the body of a handheld data processor comprises a connecterslot disposed at the coupling face thereof. A back cartridge comprises aconnecter, corresponding to the connecter slot, disposed on the couplingface thereof. The coupling structure comprises a seizing element andouter lining; the seizing element is disposed on the coupling face ofthe body, and the outer lining, corresponding to the seizing element, isdisposed at one end of the back cartridge and can be moved in parallelrelative to the coupling face of the back cartridge. First, press thetwo coupling faces of the body and back cartridge toward each other faceto face in vertical direction when both want to be coupled together soas to let the connecter be inserted into the connecter slot (it alsomeans that the back cartridge is placed on the body). Thereafter, theouter lining is then slid in parallel relative to the coupling face ofthe back cartridge. And, the body and back cartridge are coupledtogether when the back cartridge is stuck by the seizing element.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow illustration only, and thus arenot limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an explosive view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, showing a sliding clasp hooks up a seizing element when abody and back cartridge are coupled together;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are schematic views of a preferred embodiment,showing coupling motions of a body and back cartridge; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic views of another embodiment of the presentinvention, showing another type of seizing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to FIG. 1, a back cartridge coupling structure 30 accordingto the invention is used in handheld data processor 1, which comprises abody 10 and back cartridge 20.

The body 10 comprises a coupling face 11 and connecter slot 12; theconnecter slot 12 is disposed in the coupling face 11.

The back cartridge 20 comprises a coupling face 21 and connecter 22; theconnecter 22, corresponding to the connecter slot 12 of the body, isdisposed on the coupling face 21. The connecter 22 and connecter slot 12can be jointed together when the body 10 is coupled to the backcartridge 20.

The coupling structure 30 comprises a seizing element 31, outer lining32, sliding groove 33 and detaining hole 34. The seizing element 31 isdisposed on the coupling face 11 of the body 10 and is parallel to theside edge of the coupling face 11 of the body 10. The outer lining 32,corresponding to the seizing element 31, is disposed at one end of theback cartridge 20 and comprises a projecting column 321, button 322 andsliding clasp 323. The sliding clasp 323 is disposed corresponding toone end of the seizing element 31 in order to hook up this end ofseizing element 31 to prevent the back cartridge from falling down inthe direction opposite to this end after the body 10 is coupled with theback cartridge 20, as FIG. 2 shown. The sliding groove 33 correspondingto the projecting column 321 is disposed in the back cartridge 20 so asto allow the projecting column 321 to be slid therein. Therefore, theouter lining 32 can be slid in parallel relative to the coupling face 21of the back cartridge 20. The detaining hole 34 corresponding to thebutton 322 is disposed in the body 10 in order to get the button 322stuck therein when the body 10 is coupled to the back cartridge 20.

As FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C shown, first, press the two coupling faces 11, 21of the body 10 and back cartridge 20 toward each other face to face invertical direction when both are coupled together so as to let theconnecter 22 be inserted into the connecter slot 12 (it also means thatthe back cartridge 20 is placed on the body 10). Thereafter, the outerlining 32 is then slid in parallel relative to the coupling face 21 ofthe back cartridge 20 (the projecting column 321 is slid along thesliding groove 33). And, the outer lining 32 is stuck by the seizingelement 31 when it is slid so as to increase the tightness of thecoupling of the body 10 and back cartridge 20, the sliding clasp 323hooks up one end of the seizing element 31, the button 322 is detainedin the detaining hole 34 so as to couple the body 10 and back cartridge20. By the way, the disposition of the buttons 322 and detaining hole 34can let both be coupled tightly.

Furthermore, refer to FIGS. 4 and 5, the end of the seizing element 31that contacts with the outer lining 32 first is thinner, and other endof the seizing element 31 that contacts with the outer lining 32 last isthicker (it is also the time that the coupling of the body 10 and backcartridge 20 is completed), and such kind of the design can be used inthe profile of the seizing element 31 whatever it is in a directionparallel or perpendicular to the coupling face 11 so as to increase thetightness of two sides of or a direction perpendicular to the body 10and back cartridge 20.

Of course, the coupling face 11 is unnecessary at the back face of thebody 10. It can also be at the front face thereof or other positions.

The back cartridge coupling structure according to the present inventiondoesn't cause the surfaces of the back cartridge and body to bescratched, because the back cartridge is pressed toward the body face toface in vertical direction while coupling. Furthermore, it is convenientto use only the outer lining according to the present invention tocouple the back cartridge and body tightly.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same maybe varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

1-7. (Cancelled)
 8. A back cartridge coupling structure, used in ahandheld data processor, the processor comprising a body and a backcartridge, wherein the body comprises a connecter slot disposed in acoupling face thereof, and the back cartridge comprises a connectercorresponding to the connecter slot and disposed on a coupling facethereof, the coupling structure comprising: a seizing element, disposedat the coupling face of the body, with the shape of the seizing elementprojecting and in parallel with the side edge of the coupling face ofthe body, and at a direction parallel to the sectional face of thecoupling face of the body, one end of the seizing element is thinner,and another end is thicker; and a outer lining, corresponding to theseizing element and disposed at the one end of the back cartridge, beingable to be slid in parallel relative to the coupling face of the backcartridge, after the coupling face of the back cartridge is pressedtoward the coupling face of the body face to face in vertical direction,the outer lining being slid in parallel relative to the coupling face ofthe back cartridge and being stuck by the seizing element, the outerlining contacts with the thinner end first and the thicker end in order,so as to let the body and the back cartridge be coupled.
 9. The backcartridge coupling structure of claim 8, wherein the outer liningfurther comprises a sliding clasp corresponding to one end of theseizing element, hooking up the end of the seizing element after thebody is coupled with the back cartridge.
 10. The back cartridge couplingstructure of claim 8, wherein the outer lining further comprise aprojecting column corresponding to a sliding groove of the backcartridge so as to let the outer lining be slid in parallel relative tothe coupling face of the back cartridge when the projecting column isslid along the sliding groove.
 11. The back cartridge coupling structureof claim 8, wherein the back cartridge further comprises a buttoncorresponding to a detaining hole of the body so as to let the button bedetained in the detaining hole when the body is coupled with the backcartridge.
 12. A back cartridge coupling structure, used in a handhelddata processor, the processor comprising a body and a back cartridge,wherein the body comprises a connecter slot disposed in a coupling facethereof, and the back cartridge comprises a connecter corresponding tothe connecter slot and disposed on a coupling face thereof, the couplingstructure comprising: a seizing element, disposed at the coupling faceof the body, with the shape of the seizing element projecting and inparallel with the side edge of the coupling face of the body, and at adirection perpendicular to the sectional face of the coupling face ofthe body, one end of the seizing element is thinner, and another end isthicker; and a outer lining, corresponding to the seizing element anddisposed at the one end of the back cartridge, being able to be slid inparallel relative to the coupling face of the back cartridge, after thecoupling face of the back cartridge is pressed toward the coupling faceof the body face to face in vertical direction, the outer lining beingslid in parallel relative to the coupling face of the back cartridge andbeing stuck by the seizing element so as to let the body and the backcartridge be coupled.
 13. The back cartridge coupling structure of claim12, wherein the outer lining further comprises a sliding claspcorresponding to one end of the seizing element, hooking up the end ofthe seizing element after the body is coupled with the back cartridge.14. The back cartridge coupling structure of claim 12, wherein the outerlining further comprise a projecting column corresponding to a slidinggroove of the back cartridge so as to let the outer lining be slid inparallel relative to the coupling face of the back cartridge when theprojecting column is slid along the sliding groove.
 15. The backcartridge coupling structure of claim 12, wherein the back cartridgefurther comprises a button corresponding to a detaining hole of the bodyso as to let the button be detained in the detaining hole when the bodyis coupled with the back cartridge.
 16. A back cartridge couplingstructure, used in a handheld data processor, the processor comprising abody and a back cartridge, wherein the body comprises a connecter slotdisposed in a coupling face thereof, and the back cartridge comprises aconnecter corresponding to the connecter slot and disposed on a couplingface thereof, the coupling structure comprising: a seizing element,disposed at the coupling face of the body; and a outer lining,corresponding to the seizing element and disposed at the one end of theback cartridge, further comprise a projecting column corresponding to asliding groove of the back cartridge so as to let the outer lining beslid in parallel relative to the coupling face of the back cartridgewhen the projecting column is slid along the sliding groove, after thecoupling face of the back cartridge is pressed toward the coupling faceof the body face to face in vertical direction, the outer lining beingslid in parallel relative to the coupling face of the back cartridge andbeing stuck by the seizing element so as to let the body and the backcartridge be coupled.
 17. The back cartridge coupling structure of claim16, wherein the outer lining further comprises a sliding claspcorresponding to one end of the seizing element, hooking up the end ofthe seizing element after the body is coupled with the back cartridge.18. The back cartridge coupling structure of claim 16, wherein the shapeof the seizing element is projecting and in parallel with the side edgeof the coupling face of the body.
 19. The back cartridge couplingstructure of claim 16, wherein the back cartridge further comprises abutton corresponding to a detaining hole of the body so as to let thebutton be detained in the detaining hole when the body is coupled withthe back cartridge.
 20. A back cartridge coupling structure, used in ahandheld data processor, the processor comprising a body and a backcartridge, wherein the body comprises a connecter slot disposed in acoupling face thereof, and the back cartridge comprises a connectercorresponding to the connecter slot and disposed on a coupling facethereof, the coupling structure comprising: a seizing element, disposedat the coupling face of the body; and a outer lining, corresponding tothe seizing element and disposed at the one end of the back cartridge,being able to be slid in parallel relative to the coupling face of theback cartridge, comprising a button corresponding to a detaining hole ofthe body, after the coupling face of the back cartridge is pressedtoward the coupling face of the body face to face in vertical direction,the outer lining being slid in parallel relative to the coupling face ofthe back cartridge and being stuck by the seizing element so as to letthe button be detained in the detaining hole when the body is coupledwith the back cartridge.
 21. The back cartridge coupling structure ofclaim 20, wherein the outer lining further comprises a sliding claspcorresponding to one end of the seizing element, hooking up the end ofthe seizing element after the body is coupled with the back cartridge.22. The back cartridge coupling structure of claim 20, wherein the shapeof the seizing element is projecting and in parallel with the side edgeof the coupling face of the body.